I'm not. I thought his behaviour was shameful. He came across as a complete dick, as Niall said at the time. He was nasty, agressive, abusive and deeply unpleasant to everyone; I don't remember anyone laughing. No wonder the organisers decided to exlude him from the Sofa of Legends.

Again, as with John Allen, Big Ron was being brutally honest. After all, Pete had been his mentor and, for Pete (loved him and all) with FAs, there were no prisoners.

40 years on, the world is a rather different place. In Yorkshire, Derbyshire and the Lakes, in the 1970s and early 1980s, it was pretty much dog eat dog re FAs. At times it was bitter (read the old new routes books). I, for one, wouldn't want to go back to those bad old days.

From the sublime to the ridiculous, on a personal basis, I feel like going back to new routes this year. The obvious 'rival', as well as being a legendary climber, is a mate. I would never want it to get personal. For me, it just wouldn't be worth it.

I take it the Johnny everyone is referring too is Johnny Dawes...? I too thought it odd that he wasn't up there. What did he say that was so bad, that meant he wasn't invited onto the sofa? It seems out of character but then I don't know him. That's a shame as he is such a key figure in the history of Peak district rock climbing.